Preoccupied Weekend

I was fully occupied during the weekend, yesterday and day before. In fact my weekend activities started last Friday night itself.

Back from work, I arrived home at about 8.00pm and freshened up a little bit, then out we (my sister and I) went to Giant Bandar Puteri for our monthly grocery shopping. It was quite a late do for this month as I was quite busy with office work and attending to training here and there. So, most of the supplies were really out at home and the Chef aka Home Guardian Angel (my mum, of course) almost gave up doing her daily chores.

Saturday morning by 8.00 am I was already at the Toyota Service Centre in PJ for the routine car service and spent time until 3.00pm. Not a major service but the queue was terrible, though we had booked two weeks in advance. Maybe its because of school holidays and parents sent cars for servicing, with plans to travel comfortably taking their children to various holiday destinations...maybe.

Then we had guests at 4.00pm, my auntie and her children and at night, also we had guests, an uncle and his wife. Thank God my mum who is always on the alert for walk-in guests had earlier prepared spaghetti and mee curry. So, there was not a problem of what to serve our guests. And there goes my Saturday, waiting and reading at the service centre and entertaining to relatives at home.

Come Sunday, I had a pre-planned acttivity. I had registered myself to the Bakersguide Baking Class in my housing estate and the class started at 9.00am. So, another day of my weekend unable to continue my usual weekend favourites; lazing on bed, reading a novel, fall asleep again, wake up, grab the book, read again.. and the cycle goes on. No, no, not the last weekend.

I arrived at Bakersguide 15 minutes late and the class has not started yet. It was kind of the Chef to wait for me..hu hu.. Well, actually I am the ardent buyer of their baking ingredients and always frequent the shop for my baking needs. He knew me and thats the reason for the wait. Sorry classmates.

Today, I learnt to make bread. I have made bread before a few times. White bread, raisins plaited bread, sweet buns, etc. But that was through my own method merely based on the instructions in the recipes. Chef Eric taught us the proper bread making. And my, it was actually a bit tedious and all had to be done in a systematic way, step-by-step. I almost lost my patience. Chef Eric said, breadmaking will teach you to be patient and gentle. Hah! Me? Patient and gentle! I almost laughed myself out loud. But I controlled then. For those who knew me will know that I am someone who speak fast, walk fast,and a bit far from being gentle in action (though I am gentle when comes to matters of the heart).

Thus, in the class, during the hands-on session, I was asked to slow down a few times by Chef Eric. he he Sorry Chef... I was just 'tak sabar' to see things done the way a slow-motion picture is played. But I did as told by Chef Eric. It gives me a kind of feeling, a sense of power controlling, learning to hold back and concentrate on the task (of kneading and rolling and brushing the egg wash, etc). It was really fun. Bread making did provide a kind of pleasure and satisfaction. Indeed, when moulding the dough, I felt like I am actually moulding me and my self esteem! (and no, I am not crazy, still in sanity!) And frankly, I do like that kind of feeling that was sipped in my body, slow and steady. Not the usual 'adrenalin rush' feeling that was always in sync with me and my body and soul whenever I am in tasks.

The physical end result of the lesson learnt from the breadmaking class today which ended at 3.00pm were the Chocolate Chips Bun, Kaya Bun, Sausage Bun, Red Bean Bun, Chicken Floss Bun, Tuna Bun and Cheese Stick. All the sweet bun family from the same master recipe and dough. Heres the photo of what I (yes, my own fruit of labour!) made today at Bakersguide. It looked exactly like the ones on display at the bakery. Honestly, I swear to God, I did made those myself, with my own bare hands! My siblings jokingly said that I bought them to bring home. They always bullied me... pity, pity me!

Though my weekend was packed with activities, I am truly contented. Satisfied. No regrets for leaving the bed earlier...

Kalambicara is missing the bed now... am heading to it as fast as I can!

Melayu

As a sequel from yesterday's posting... Also, to ponder on today's incident proudly made famous and historical by the 'yellow team' (definitely not DIGI!), my plea to the Malay readers of my blog, let us relook at this poem by our country's great Poet/Writer Dato' Usman Awang. Then on, make your stand, where are we heading? Tepuk dada, tanya selera.

Melayu

Melayu itu orang yang bijaksana
Nakalnya bersulam jenaka
Budi bahasanya tidak terkira
Kurang ajarnya tetap santun
Jika menipu pun masih bersopan
Bila mengampu bijak beralas tangan

Melayu itu berani jika bersalah
Kecut takut kerana benar
Janji simpan di perut
Selalu pecah di mulut
Biar mati adat
Jangan mati anak

Dalam sejarahnya
Melayu itu pengembara lautan
Melorongkan jalur sejarah zaman
Begitu luas daerah sempadan
Sayangnya kini segala kehilangan

Melayu itu kaya falsafahnya
Kias kata bidal pusaka
Akar budi bersulamkan daya
Gedung akal laut bicara

Malangnya Melayu itu kuat bersorak
Terlalu ghairah pesta temasya
Sedangkan kampung telah tergadai
Sawah sejalur tinggal sejengkal
Tanah sebidang mudah terjual

Meski telah memiliki telaga
Tangan masih memegang tali
Sedang orang mencapai timba
Berbuahlah pisang tiga kali
Melayu itu masih bermimpi

Walaupun sudah mengenal universiti
Masih berdagang di rumah sendiri
Berkelahi cara Melayu
Menikam dengan pantun
Menyanggah dengan senyum
Marahnya dengan diam
Merendah bukan menyembah
Meninggi bukan melonjak

Watak Melayu menolak permusuhan
Setia dan sabar tiada sempadan
Tapi jika marah tak nampak telinga
Musuh dicari ke lubang cacing
Tak dapat tanduk telinga dijinjing
Maruah dan agama dihina jangan
Hebat amuknya tak kenal lawan

Berdamai cara Melayu indah sekali
Silaturrahim hati yang murni
Maaf diungkap senantiasa bersahut
Tangan diulur sentiasa bersambut
Luka pun tidak lagi berparut

Baiknya hati Melayu itu tak terbandingkan
Selaga yang ada sanggup diberikan
Sehingga tercipta sebuah kiasan:
“Dagang lalu nasi ditanakkan
Suami pulang lapar tak makan
Kera di hutan disusu-susukan
Anak di pangkuan mati kebuluran”

Bagaimanakah Melayu abad dua puluh satu
Masihkan tunduk tersipu-sipu ?
Jangan takut melanggar pantang
Jika pantang menghalang kemajuan;
Jangan segan menentang larangan
Jika yakin kepada kebenaran;
Jangan malu mengucapkan keyakinan
Jika percaya kepada keadilan

Jadilah bangsa yang bijaksana
Memegang tali memegang timba
Memiliki ekonomi mencipta budaya
Menjadi tuan di negara Merdeka!

Truly I am speechless. The second last para is something that I really like. It matches me and my principles. What say you? One thing I know for sure is that I am a true Malay (though my late grandfather is a Chinese). I actually think more in English and most of the time speaks English! What?! Its not wrong, right? Its just language preference... and my upbringing... and my education... and my .... arrrrhhhhhh! Let it be... I am me.

Finally, I'd like to recall the famous phrase of our great Malay warrior, Hang Tuah... Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia... Yes, if we are all united and not separated...by beliefs, by ideologies, etc. etc. We should be ONE. We must be ONE. Revive the true spirit of the 'perjuangan kemerdekaan' by our forefathers. Everything must be fair! Everything must be clean! Tak perlu bermuka-muka. Melayu kini sudah berbeza. Melayu kini berfikiran terbuka. Demi generasi muda! Demi negara tercinta!

Kalambicara suddenly feels so patriotic...and am marching out now!

Politics

According to the Wikipedia, Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions. Although the term is generally applied to behaviour within civil governments, politics is observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious institutions. Politics consists of "social relations involving authority or power" and refers to the regulation of a political unit, and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.

The 2007 UMNO General Assembly ended today with a few resolutions whatsoever. Somehow or rather, some of the policies and resolutions did not impress me at all. Especially the one voiced by the Puteri Chief, Noraini Ahmad. Quite frustrated with this kind of thinking from our so called leaders and politicians. It made me worried of the future of my nieces and nephews. Not going to ramble further on this, else I'll vomit unnecessarily. Afterall, those great bloggers like Marina, Rocky and Nuraina had said enough. What interests me most is the sincerity and honesty of the attendees, in the course of a better future for the Malay generations and for the true love to the country. I doubt that so much.

Been there and was at our organisation's booth and the secretariat's room, trying our best to educate the public (UMNO participants/observers/general public), I was kind of amazed at what I saw and heard. Almost everyone had an agenda by being there!

Seriously. I experienced that with many who stopped at our booth. There I was trying to bring their attention to safe internet usage, awareness on information security on the net, bla bla bla... And guess what, with the brochures that I passed to them after explanation, the questions that they asked were who was the printer who did all your brochures? How can I be the printer for your organisation? Can you get me your CEO I want to talk to him to take me as your panel of suppliers... Can you give me a chance to provide my service to your organisation... and the list of questions of that kind went on and on... different people but asking almost similar questions.

Come on, you came here for the assembly and yet with full purpose... to get something as well eh? Despite reasons provided by my colleagues and me, many were still adamant with their plea of getting certain projects etc. Main justification given was that a Malay got to help another Malay.

Huh! If this is the reality, this is the fact, I am so damned worry about the future of our children. Till the end of the assembly, no one really interested in what we are actually doing for the nation. Instead, they are more interested in our giveaways such as paperbags, mouse pads, pens and various other collaterals, when in actual fact, that was the best avenue to channel the awareness on safe internet usage that we were trying very hard to educate the masses.

Actually all these are nothing new to me. I've heard about these kind of incidences almost every year from my journalist friends, only now am I experiencing them myself. Not going go prolong this issue, letih laaa...

Another interesting observation that I enjoyed while at PWTC was the dressings/fashion style of the ladies, especially the 'pink ladies'. Gosh! Were they here to catch big fish as well? They really dressed to kill. One in particular who walked passed our booth and caught our attention was this one 'pink lady' who wore white transparent baju kurong and pink sarong... normal right, but what about the pink bra?! Purposely chose transparent white kurong merely to highlight her obviously pink bra merely to stress that she belongs to the 'pink ladies' group! If a lady like me looked at her not once, not twice, not thrice, but more... what about the men? We all have eyes and eyes are meant to see. Please O God please, for the sake of the party and for the sake of the Malays... don't let these 'blondes' in pink jeopardize the state of mind and well being of our future leaders!

I rest my case. Till the next UMNO GA...

Kalambicara is really embarassed, and is blushing pink! Stop bicara now...

Gerimis Di Hati

Still my mind is a bit affected by yesterday's incident. And, all of a sudden this Sudirman's song is playing in my head... soft and sad...yet soothing and calming...

Gerimis di lautan
Mendayung sampan ke kuala
Pada rang bulan pungguk merayu

Menangis kesiangan
Menanggung rindu pada si dia
Apakan daya orang tak mahu

Apalah guna ke bendang
Padi seberang takkan menjadi
Apalah kasihnya orang
Kasihnya orang orang tak sudi

Gerimis di lautan
Ku ubati lukaku sendiri
Namun parutnya terpandang jua

Oh biarlah ku sendiri
Oh tinggallah ku kan pergi
Oh biarlah
Oh tinggallah

And now, I am feeling so alone and in dire need of a shoulder to cry on... hmmmm ... Frankly, I hate it when this type of feelings come into me. This is so not me! Is it the weather or what?! Yucks! Yucks! Yuckie...! And what the heck of connection is this lyric with my upsetness of yesterday's event eh? Oh my, am I going bonkers? Really got to go.

Btw, thanks to the anonymous who commented my post yesterday. Simple, yet consoling. You made my day!

Kalambicara is retiring for the nite...will stop bicara now.

Liar! Liar!

For the first time since I joined this organisation, I threw my tantrum far out loud today! Someone has the guts to lie straight on my face, in front of my COO. How dare you Mr T!!! !@#$%^&* !!!

It all happened when I was asked in the last minute, to represent my boss, for a meeting on the office renovation. Our department will be relocated to a different floor. In the meeting, we were shown the layout of the new area by the to-be-awarded Interior Decorator.

Looking at my department's new area, I was almost fainted. There was no room for the storage of our corporate collaterals. We have aplenty. Now occupying almost a whole of the room temporarily given for our use by the Admin Dept. I questioned Mr T on a few matters, why is there a reception counter, who will man there, why are there three sofa sets, where is our dry pantry, where is our store room, filing cabinets, etc, etc...

The answer given was that this meeting is not to change the layout whatsoever, but to decide on the type of carpet tiles, wallpaper colour, colour of sofa sets, the colour of the partition for the cluster of workstations and the type of wood finishing for the reception counter???

Hellooooooo!!! You see, we are the one who will be occupying that area, don't we allow to say something. We only met once, almost three months ago, during site visit of the new area, how come, now that you are saying its now final, just choose the fabric! Mr T kept saying that the committee has decided bla bla bla... what committee? who? At first I was upset thinking that my boss did not update me and my colleague, but I was wrong. My boss was not in the know as well. (Hmmmm... talk about SOP here!)

Well, to make the story short, we brought the matter to the attention of the COO. And believe it or not, this great Mr T can say differently. "Jangan tergesa-gesa buat conclusion. Benda ni boleh ubah lagi. Bukan final lagi." Eh, come on who was it in the first place that said that its final, we are about to award now, BQ has been completed, should there be changes or re-renovation, we do it some other time?" Wasn't it you. I made a note in my meeting book of that statement. I have proof of what you said in the meeting yesterday... my witnesses too are happy to provide any testimony if needed...

Hmmmm.... in front of the COO, HE SAID IT DIFFERENTLY! Though I have a few witnesses who actually heard what Mr T said earlier, I feel that its stupid of me to further continue my arguments with him. Suddenly I remembered what my late father said that it'll make you stupid if you argue with a stupid person. There, I am calling him stupid liar now! I am truly pissed of with him. Will never forget what he said and the way he said it, in front of the COO. I have more experience than him, and higher in education than him, though he made me look stupid, he is a zillion more stupid than me. Stupid cupid!

I did cry myself out of anger (thats the normal me lah) after that heated argument. I also made a vow. I will not deal with Mr T at all. My colleague will handle the procurement matter of our deparment. I had explained clearly to his superior. She understood me well and will slow talk to him... ya right... wonder stupid person like him is deaf and dumb too. Huh! I will not tolerate with him at all from now on. I will ignore him. I will definitely not respect him at all. I will never smile at him. I will not talk to him at all. That is my principle when facing with a liar like this. Watch out man, don't ever expect anything from me anymore from now on. Thats my vow. Thats my promise and I am so into it. Neither will I forgive, nor will I forget! I am a lady of principle. (Refer to my first blog - The First One)

Mr T is a Liar!

Liar! Liar! Liar!

May your pants be on fire!

Pants on fire! Pants on fire!

Kalambicara is quiting bicara now... am not lying! Really quit...for the time being.

Destressing Oneself

Last weekend I attended a session organised by our HR Department entitled 'Stress Management' at Holiday Villa, Subang. About the content, okay la... introducing us to the 7 chakras, more into the holistic and conventional healing, evoking our sub-conscious mind, some self reflections, some breathing and massage techniques, a bit of self meditation, bla bla bla...

I had attended a few Stress Management course throughout my career and each has its own uniqueness. The western gurus methods are of course a bit different than the asian gurus. For this particular session, what I remembered most is these three questions posted by the facilitator:

1. What good have you done to yourself?
2. What good have you done to your parents?
3. What good have you done to your brothers and sisters (siblings)?

Well, to be frank, I am satisfied with my answers (in my heart) for both questions 2 and 3, but definitely not for question 1. I still feel that I have not done enough for myself. I am more concern for the happiness of others. Just like a candle, burning oneself to brighten others. But, I have no regrets. To me, its part of the responsibilities, especially being the eldest, and as the breadwinner. Nevertheless, there are times...of course! And, as a result, after the session was over, I went to pamper myself at the Subang Parade, had my manicure and pedicure! Thought of going for some hair treatment after that, but had to rush home since one of my aunties invited us for a 'Nasi Dagang' gathering that nite.

Destressing oneself, in my opinion, is very subjective. To me, reading a good book with nice background songs is a bliss. Baking is also one way of destressing myself. Watching a good show is one too. Travelling or sight seeing is another one that I truly enjoyed. One thing I know for sure is that I am one person who really believe in myself and dare to take new challenges with confident, without a single doubt. I have learnt to depend on me, myself, long time ago. This is the attitude that I shaped in me to be what I am now. It was hard actually, damned hard. But, I survived. I stick to believe in me. I learnt to accept things and learnt to switch-off things that I could not accept, without feeling guilty whatsoever. Life is indeed stressful, but I have learned to take it in stride and walk talk, come what may... Not matter what people want to take from me, they just can't take away my dignity. Because I believe strongly in myself! Just like Whitney Houston's 'Greatest Love of All' eh? :)

Well, back at the office today, to some maybe, with a new perspective. A new way forward of taking matters in hand, to avoid stress... hmmm... to me... just be myself, stick to my beliefs and principles and continue as me...

The two-day session was indeed a great escapism from work and a chance to show my true colours and to mingle with my colleagues, in an informal situation. It was good. You had a chance to get to know people whom previously you smiled merely a second when you met at the corridor. Well, well, some people are not as how we perceived they were. And of course there will be someone who had touched your heart once you get to know them in a situation like this. I found one that I enjoyed talking to, with the same wavelength, worn the same thinking caps and enjoyed the same food. Thanks for being here friend and for the opportunity to get to know you better... Also, for introducing me to someone inspirational...appreciate it very much.

Kalambicara quits bicara now... to destress myself!

Sheer Laziness!

I have things to write. Aplenty. Of what happened today and a few days ago. But, am so lazy to hit the keyboard. Seriously. Am I tired? Not really. But, my mind is running wild. So many things at every nook of my head... I am actually wandering... my mind is moving about without a fixed course, aim or goal!! I am on a winding road! This is really crazy. All the 5Ws and 1H are creating a puzzle in my head. I don't like it when I am like this. Gosh, truly am lazy to use my brain, to recall events today and a few days ago, etc. That is actually the target when I on the notebook just now, yet my mind is wandering...

Thats it. Yes, thats it for today. Fullstop.

Ooo...oopss... all of a sudden, this brownies/camping song is playing in my head and making me hitting this keyboard now...

I love to go a wandering
Along the mountain track
And as I go, I love to sing
My knapsack on my back

Valderi Valdera Valdera
Valdera ha ha ha ha
Valderi Valdera
My knapsack on my back.

Oh may I go a wandering
Until the day I die
Oh may I always laugh and sing
Beneath God's clear blue sky.

Hmmm...

Kalambicara is signing off to wander more... no bicara, merely becoming a wanderer!